By their lofty standards, Valletta have had an up-and-down campaign so far but their title defence bid is still very much alive and kicking after a 3-0 victory over derby rivals Floriana on Wednesday night ensured that that the Whites will start their Championship Pool campaign on top, albeit level on 23 points with Hibernians.
The wind and unrelenting rain inevitably affected the match but Valletta’s task became easier after Demba Toure headed them in front on the brink of half-time.
Second-half goals from Ryan Fenech and Jonathan Caruana sealed Valletta’s double over their stuttering neighbours.
“Our main objective was to get the three points and finish the first phase on top,” Mark Miller, the Valletta coach, told The Times.
“When we looked at our performances since the new year, apart from the hiccup in the Balzan game (1-1), I think we’ve done very well.
“We scored three goals (against Floriana) and we had the chances to get two or three more. The result flattered Floriana.”
The MFA’s decision not to postpone the games because of the poor weather took many by surprise but, despite the difficulties caused by the heavy downpours during the game, Miller had no complaints about the conditions.
“The conditions were playable,” Miller said. “The pitch was good and I was surprised that it held up the way it did.
“When the rain was lashing down, it was difficult to play and the visibility was not good.
“Floriana had a good first half but it was only a matter of time before we scored because we were much stronger than them.”
Despite its status as one of the top fixtures in local football, Wednesday’s clash only attracted 674 spectators. The unfavourable weather aside, having the Valletta-Floriana derby on the same night as the Champions League cruncher between Real Madrid and Manchester United was another reason why the fans stayed away from the stadium but, in the eyes of many, the meagre crowd for the derby was indicative of the flailing interest in Maltese football.
This downward trend has also been blamed in many quarters on the two-tier format of the Premier League but it is hoped that attendances will improve now that we have reached the business end of the season.
Invited to give his opinion on this issue, Miller said: “We (Valletta) always have a good support. The conditions were difficult on Wednesday but we still had a modest support.
“To be honest, I’m surprised that anybody turned up for the game, also taking into account that there was a big Champions League match on the same night.”
With Birkirkara only one point behind the leading duo of Valletta and Hibs, an enthralling title race is on the cards.
“We never thought that it (title race) was going to be easy,” Miller, who left Hibs to take charge of Valletta last summer, said.
“The more times you win the league the harder it becomes be-cause the others want to knock you off the top and that is what Hibs and Birkirkara are trying to do.
“It’s the consistency, the direct confrontations and how well the other teams will play that will count in the title race.
“The other teams in the Championship Pool are fighting for Europe and that is a good thing. The Championship Pool should be interesing because the other teams have something to aim for.
“Sliema and Tarxien have had a good season so far. Every game will be a fight and I’d rather have that than a two-horse title race.”
Although Miller is braced for a bruising title duel, he is upbeat about Valletta’s chances of retaining the league crown.
“I believe we can. We have the strongest squad,” Miller said.
“There’s only 10 games left and teams will have injuries and suspensions. The little things will make a difference but everyone have strengthened their squad in January.
“I’m very happy with the players I have. I’m very pleased about Abubakar (Bello-Osagie who joined Valletta on loan from Qormi). He’s better than I thought and has settled in nicely. Besides, Abu is a good boy.
“We have also brought in Luke Dimech and Daniel Bogdanovic who, with their experience and belief, will surely help us.”
Scorers and red cards
Balzan Fc
Elton 14 (4 Pens); Pedrinho 8 (1 Pen); Caruana 2, Licari 2; Mendy, Deanov, Pace, Forace, Camilleri, Conceicao, Moises, Darmanin.
Red Cards: Conceicao (Vs Ħamrun, Vs Valletta), Licari (Vs Hibs), Pace (Vs Sliema), Forace (Vs Mosta), Camilleri (Vs Rabat), Mendy (Vs Hibs).
Birkirkara
Jhonnattann 10 (1 Pen); Mifsud Triganza 8; Haruna 7 (2 Pens); Vukanac 5; Herrera 3, Joselito 3, Camenzuli 3; R. Muscat 2, Sciberras 2, Fenech 2; Z. Muscat, Scicluna.
Red Cards: Scicluna (Vs Balzan), Fenech (Vs Ħamrun), Herrera (Vs Qormi).
Floriana
Darmanin 8 (Now With Balzan); Wasiu 4, Verma 4; Coronado 3; Cilia 2; Al-Hinho, Brown, Jeffers, Spiteri, Bugeja.
Red Cards: Brown (Vs Rabat), K. Farrugia (Vs Mosta, Vs Rabat), Alhinho (Vs Hibs).
Ħamrun Spartans
Grima 5 (3 Pens), Vella 5; Lumbilla 3, Calabretta 3; Scerri, Bozhov, Zerafa, Spiteri, Camilleri (Pen), Yoshev, Fenech. Own Goal: Gribbon (Vs Melita).
Red Cards: Fenech (Vs Floriana), Cassar (Vs Tarxien), Vitanov (Vs Sliema), Cassar (Vs Qormi).
Hibernians
Lima 8 (2 Pens); Cohen 7; Failla 6; Farrugia 4; Pulis 3, Ribeiro 3, Dias 3; Pisani, Soares, Levnaic, Nwoba, Kristensen, Camilleri, Bezzina, Kardeck.
Own Goal: Guga (Vs Ħamrun), Giglio (Vs Balzan).
Red Cards: Muscat (Vs Balzan), Dias (Vs Balzan), Pulis (Vs Tarxien, Vs Mosta), Nwoko (Vs Melita), Dias (Vs Birkirkara), Soares (Vs Valletta).
Melita
Armaro Negrin 5 (Now Rabat); L. Micallef 4; Galea 2; Cabanillas 2; Vukanic (Pen), Sammut, Sierra Camacho, Cabanillas, Tufegdzic.
Own Goal: Pace (Vs Balzan).
Red Cards: Vukanic (Vs Valletta), Sierra Camacho (Vs Tarxien), Valenzia (Vs Valletta), Sammut (Vs Balzan), Caruana Scicluna (Vs Mosta), Vella Petroni (Vs Qormi).
Mosta
Obiefule 11 (2 Pen); Mitev 9 (1 Pen); Bogdanovic 5 (1 Pen); Aboulezz 2, Apap 2, Zongo 2 (1 Pen), Campagnoli 2; Bajada, Chiemeka, Maia Dos Santos, Mbonu, Micallef.
Own Goal: Bello-Osagie (Vs Qormi).
Red Cards: Grech (Vs Sliema), Aboulezz (Vs Floriana), Dimech (Vs Balzan).
Qormi
Bello-Osagie (Now Valletta) 8; Pisani 4; Spiteri 3, Siritto 3; Chetcuti 3; Effiong 2, Thackray 2, Zarate 2, Avila-Perez 2; Grech, Effiong.
Own Goal: Tufegdzic (Vs Melita).
Rabat Ajax
Armaro Negrin 7 (2 Pens); Astrauskas 2, Fuster 2, Felice 2 (1 Pen); Smeir, Carapic, Borg.
Red Cards: Borg (Vs Floriana), Brincat (Vs Sliema Wanderers).
Sliema Wanderers
Woods 9 (3 Pens); Muchardi 5; Faccini 4; Ruggiero 3, Ciantar 3; A. Muscat 2; El Ghaouti, Barbetti, Timotic, Gatt Baldacchino, Laudisi, Mifsud, Martinelli, Ohawuchi.
Red Cards: Scerri (Vs Floriana), Bonello (Vs Floriana).
Tarxien Rainbows
Bueno 12 (2 Pens); Danilo 8; Evaldo 5, Andrezinho 5; Anonam 2; Tanti 2; Pulo, Bonnici, Bajada, Leandro, Tulio.
Red Cards: Danilo (Vs Sliema), Evaldo (Vs Birkirkara).
Valletta
Mifsud 13 (2 Pens); Gabriel 5, Denni 5; Toure 4, Fenech 4; Caruana 3; Leandro 2, Briffa 2, Zammit 2 (1 Pen), Barbosa 2 (1 Pen); Ricardo, Borg, Ogunnuppe, Vandelannoite, Dimech, Bello-Osagie.
Own Goal: Tufegdzic (Vs Melita).
U*Bet Fa Trophy – Qfs
Sunday (Hibs Stadium)
Hibs Vs Żebbuġ Rangers 14.00
St Andrew’S Vs Lija Athletic 16.00
Sunday (National Stadium)
Rabat Ajax Vs Valletta 14.00
Balzan Vs Qormi 16.00